(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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After chatting for a long time, the little brat sitting near Colt's grew tired and fell asleep.
Looking at his peaceful kid who was napping casually, Colt's expression softened considerably.
He carried her in his arms, and seeing that neither the father nor sister were available, he inquired from some servant about her room.
He then headed there and gently placed her in her bed, tucked her in, and quietly exited the room.
At the door when he was about to leave, Neji Hyuga was waiting.
Seeing Colt approach, he bowed without a word.
He then started talking.
"I want to talk with you, Colt-san. I deeply apologize for my previous attitude towards Lady Hinata and even toward you! I hope you can forgive my mistakes!"
After the match with Colt, Hiashi spoke with Neji, revealing the truth about the events of that year.
Learning that his father had died protecting his uncle, not due to clan obligations but by his own choice, Neji realized how naive he'd been.
He felt especially guilty towards Hinata, who had always been kind to him since childhood.
For days, Neji had wanted to apologize but always lost his nerve at the last moment. Colt's appearance today presented an excellent opportunity. And he didn't know how he got enough courage all of a sudden.
After hearing Neji's thoughts, Colt chuckled.
"You just didn't fully grasp the true meaning of having a family. There's no need for apologies," he said.
"However, if you truly feel guilty, then train hard and bring glory to the Hyuga clan in Hinata's stead. After all… she'll be marrying into my family sooner or later."
Neji was initially moved by Colt's words, but the last sentence darkened his expression.
This outsider was talking about taking away the Hyuga heiress right in front of him! Yet… he still couldn't defeat him.
'How frustrating!' Neij's was almost resigned.
After speaking with Neji, Colt went to check on Ino. She was practicing the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques under her father's guidance.
Under Inoichi Yamanaka's resentful gaze, Ino abandoned her training to spend some time with Colt.
Fortunately for Inoichi, Colt didn't stay long before heading home.
When he returned home, he found it to be quieter without Ichibi, who had been training with Might Guy lately.
At first, the silence felt odd, but after a few days, Colt found himself enjoying the peace.
Ichibi, exhausted from Guy's intense training, no longer had the energy to wreak havoc at home, making cleaning much easier. Clearly, a ninja dog needed to be trained all the time to kept in check.
Opening the [Healer's Benevolence System] panel, Colt winced at the points he'd spent on some things and techniques. The rewards from recent tasks had been substantial, but he'd invested heavily too.
"System, can't you offer some tasks with larger rewards?" Colt complained idly.
Unexpectedly, the system responded:
[Detecting Host's strong desire. Generating task...]
[Generation of staged tasks complete]
[Task 1: A goddess in the ninja world, betrayed by her husband and sons, is currently sealed in the moon. Hundreds of years have passed, and her mind has become severely distorted. Please (Sleep with her to) convince this sleeping goddess to abandon her goal of world destruction and treat her mental disorder.]
(E/N: Sleeping with her was crossed with a line in the original chapter but I can't do that on webnovel)
[Reward: Ōtsutsuki's origin bloodline]
[Task 2: After countless years of war and exploitation, the entire ninja world's values have become distorted. Please correct this sick world and restore peace and prosperity to the people.]
[Rewards: Dependent on the degree of completion. A higher final evaluation will result in more generous rewards.]
Colt's eyes widened.
What kind of missions were these?
The first mission clearly referred to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. Not only did he have to prevent her from destroying the world, but he also had to heal her emotional trauma.
This meant he couldn't simply seal her away again as in the original timeline.
He would have to convince her.
Colt paused, wondering if he had misread the system's messages. For a bit, he could swear the mission had different requirements before they changed to what it was saying now.
'I should sleep with her to convince her?' That was what the system said before, but it was changed, so he put it to the back of his head for now.
The second task was equally daunting.
Since the Warring States period, the ninja world had been turbulent, yet the Five Great Nations system had persisted for decades. Although not perfect, it was deeply ingrained in people's hearts and minds.
Achieving the system's "high evaluation reward" would likely require drastic measures, such as unifying the ninja world and reshaping its structure.
Just imagining the opposition and complications made Colt's head throb with pain.
"System, I asked for some high-reward point tasks, not for you to drop bombs on me," Colt grumbled, rubbing his temples in frustration.
All the tasks issued by the system were optional; at worst, declining meant losing the reward, with no additional punishment. However, these rewards appeared exceptionally generous, genuinely tempting him despite the challenges.
"What exactly is the Ōtsutsuki origin bloodline?" Colt inquired; his curiosity piqued despite his reservations.
Colt silently posed his question, and the system quickly responded:
[The Ōtsutsuki's a higher race in the universe, with an internal hierarchy system similar to the Hyuga clan, among which...]
[Ōtsutsuki Origin Bloodline: Derived from the direct bloodline of the original Ōtsutsuki, possessing infinite potential and power.]
After reading the system's detailed explanation, Colt's excitement grew even more intense.
He knew that Kaguya was incredibly strong, but she was merely a member of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Obtaining this reward would undoubtedly elevate Colt's strength far beyond that of any Ōtsutsuki who had appeared in the original storyline.
Though the second task wasn't clearly defined, its appearance alongside the first task suggested it was of similar magnitude. Achieving a high rating would surely result in an impressive reward.
"I can't let the ninja war end with Naruto and Sasuke fighting!" Colt resolved, deciding to accept both tasks.
For the entire night that followed, Colt pondered his approach. The second task, while daunting, seemed primarily a matter of attaining sufficient strength.
The first task, however, posed the real challenge.
Anyone who had been sealed for thousands of years would harbor monstrous grievances. Colt couldn't think of a way to address this.
Did he really need to sleep with her as the system had initially suggested? But she was a thousand-year-old being... he'd be at a disadvantage!
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Lost in thought, Colt was startled by a knock at the door. When he opened it, he found Kurenai standing there, carrying a few bottles of sake and some snacks.
"Aren't you going to let me in?" Kurenai asked, noticing Colt's strange expression.